New Member
Posted 21 September 2014 - 09:30 AM
Can one be 35,000 feet in the air with fluid in one's lungs?
When the lungs are returned to normal ( no fluid) and we restarted to take Sprycel, can we take a plane?
Ex. (one month in Europe) .
I think that when you take Sprycel or othe medication with a risk of pleural effusion, we have to see a doctor before taking a plane.
Advanced Member
Posted 21 September 2014 - 10:00 AM
Cousin Neg,
I've had a PE, never flew while I had it, but I fly places all the time on Sprycel. Not sure where your concern is coming from.
Pat
Pat
"You can't change the direction of the wind but you can adjust your sails."
DX 12/08; Gleevec 400mg; liver toxicity; Sprycel 100mg.; CCyR 4/10; MMR 8/10; Pleural Effusion 2/12; Sprycel 50mg. Maintaining MMR; 2/15 PCRU; 8/16 drifting in and out of undetected like a wave meeting the shore. Retired 12/23/2016! 18 months of PCRU, most recent at Mayo on 7/25/17 was negative at their new sensitivity reporting of 0.003.<p>
Advanced Member
Posted 21 September 2014 - 01:10 PM
I didn't fly with a PE, but I did a 3,000 mile motorcycle trip, camping the entire way, into mountainous, high-altitude areas.
I wouldn't have any concerns with flying or traveling of any kind. If the PE was bad, however, I would get the lungs drained first, so you can enjoy breathing while you're on your trip.
Marnie
Advanced Member
Posted 21 September 2014 - 05:23 PM
Cuz,
You said the PE would be resolved before travel, so the air travel would not be an issue. But would a month in Europe in the rain be an issue? No one can answer that question.
The air travel would not be the primary issue. Airplane pressure is stabilized at high altitude at 11 psi which is equivalent to 8000 feet altitude. Although less than most people experience on the ground (sea level psi is 14.7 psi, and Marnie lives at 12 psi in Denver) the pressure differential should not be a problem, especially since airplane air has low humidity which makes it easier to breathe. Airplane air has oxygen added, which makes it nearly equivalent to sea level air in that respect. So except for that guy with tuberculosis coughing next to you, breathing airplane air comfortably should not be an issue for light levels of PE.
I would be more concerned about needing health care while traveling abroad. If you know how you would handle a PE problem if needed, that would resolve a larger concern.
If you wonder about whether the airlines or Canadian government would give permission, I would not ask the question.
Advanced Member
Posted 22 September 2014 - 01:50 AM
Just to clarify, with pleural effusion, the fluid is around the lungs, not in the lungs. It can reduce the size of the lungs and if significant, make it harder to breathe. Are you taking a diuretic?
Advanced Member
Posted 22 September 2014 - 06:42 AM
I was hoping this was just a purely academic question, cousineg, but evidently not. Sorry to hear you have (had) a pleural effusion!
Pat
"You can't change the direction of the wind but you can adjust your sails."
DX 12/08; Gleevec 400mg; liver toxicity; Sprycel 100mg.; CCyR 4/10; MMR 8/10; Pleural Effusion 2/12; Sprycel 50mg. Maintaining MMR; 2/15 PCRU; 8/16 drifting in and out of undetected like a wave meeting the shore. Retired 12/23/2016! 18 months of PCRU, most recent at Mayo on 7/25/17 was negative at their new sensitivity reporting of 0.003.<p>
New Member
Posted 28 September 2014 - 03:57 PM
I was on sprycel for 9 months.......the Pleural effusions never releneted and I was finally switched to tasigna......very few side effects. What I can tell you is that sprycel has a very short half life in your body. There were a few times where the PEs where keeping me from doing my work, so I stopped the meds and within less than 48 hours my breathing was good. I would bet that if you did not take the sprycel the day before you are to fly you would feel the differene. Then restart when you get to destination. Same thing on return.
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